–Traders fear bilateral trade will fall below $1bn if complicated regulations, strict policies and cumbersome goods’ clearing processes are not sorted
–Islamabad and Kabul urged to keep trade matters away from politics and focus more on economic growth
PESHAWAR: Traders and exporters of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday identified bottlenecks that were hampering Pak-Afghan bilateral and transit trade, including complicated regulations and procedures, strict policies and cumbersome goods’ clearing processes.
Speaking in a joint video-link conference organised by USAID – Pakistan Regional Economic Integration Activity (PREIA) in collaboration with the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Pak-Afghan traders said economies of both countries would suffer badly if immediate measures were not taken towards traders’ facilitation, adding that regulatory duties, unnecessary policies and double taxation should be revised or abolished.
The participants called upon Islamabad and Kabul to make joint efforts and remove hurdles in the way of bilateral and transit trade, as these bottlenecks were making it difficult for both countries to realise their trade potential of $5 billion.
The conference was chaired by SCCI President Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz while SCCI Senior Vice President Shahid Hussain performed duties as moderator.
Besides renowned business leader from both sides, the meeting was attended by former Pak-Afghan Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) SVP and Frontier Customs Agents Association President Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, PAJCCI-Pakistan Chairman Zubair Motiwala, Secretary General Ms Faiza, PAJCCI-Afghanistan Chairman Khan Jan Alokozay, Afghan chamber’s Younis Mohmand, Kandahar chamber representative Haji Daud and former FPCCI president Engr Daroo Khan Achakzai.
The traders noted that the Pak-Afghan bilateral trade volume had declined to $1 billion because of complicated regulations and procedures, strict policies and cumbersome goods clearing processes at ports and borders. If policies were not reviewed immediately, the trade volume between the two countries would completely end, they feared.
The participants urged the leadership of both countries to keep trade matters away from politics and address the genuine grievances of traders by keeping in mind the economic benefits.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, they informed, traders on both sides of the border have inflicted colossal monetary losses. They demanded special relief packages in the shape of waivers on regulatory duties and customs levies for exporters and importers.
The speakers also sought a revision in the Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement and signing of a new agreement in consultation with the business community.
The traders further highlighted the slow movement of trucks/containers at Torkham, Chaman, Ghulam Khan and Kharlachi borders as well as inadequate facilities at the Karachi port.
At the end of the meeting, the participants fully agreed with suggestions and recommendations and decided to forward them through USAID PRIEA to governments, concerned ministries, departments in order to implement them in letter and spirit.
